Casing fastening machine with adjustable crimping die



1968 P. G. K. SCHROEDER 3,412,445

CASING FASTENING MACHINE WITH ADJUSTABLE CRIMPING DIE Filed Feb. 10, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 AUL s. A. scHRoEz eR Nov. 26, 1968 P. G. K. SCHROEDER 3,412,445

CASING FASTENING MACHINE WITH ADJUSTABLE CRIMPING DIE Filed Feb. 1.0, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Imam.

PAUL G. A. SCHROEDER Mfg:

ATTOIWEV Nov. 26, 1968 P. G. K. SCHROEDER 3,412,445

CASING FASTENING MACHINE WITH ADJUSTABLE CRIMPING DIE Filed Feb. 10, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet :3

i l nuL G. K. SCHROEDEI? nTT'ORNE-Y Nov. 26, 1968 P. G. K. SCHROEDER 3,

v CASING FASTENING MACHINE WITH ADJUSTABLE CRIMPING DIE Filed Feb. 10, 19s? 4 sheets-sneer;

u m FG.8 4 Q,

,9 9 mvewron.

fflUL G. K. SCHROEDER ATTORNG'Y United States Patent 3,412,445 CASING FASTENING MACHINE WITH ADJUSTABLE CRIMPING DIE Paul G. K. Schroeder, 28 Island Trail, Lake Mohawk, Sparta, NJ. 07871 Filed Feb. 10, 1967, Ser. No. 615,225 6 Claims. (Cl. 2933.5)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention deals with a machine for fastening the ends of casings, bags, and the like. Besides the base and vertical mounting plate carrying the throat into which the casing end is inserted, as well as the driver, the end of which is the upper crimping die for the fastener, it has a lower crimping die assembly rotatable on the support, below the throat, said assembly carrying a series of crimping dies of different heights disposed therearound to accommodate various thicknesses or sizes of casings, as well as a locking means to hold the lower die in place. The machine also has a laterally-sliding knife blade for cutting off the excess casing end with engagement means on its operating ram so that the blade may be readily lifted therefrom. A casing gatherer is also provided adjacent the throat opposite the knife mounting which has sliding means for pushing the casing end laterally further into the throat just prior to the crimping operation.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION The means used to operate the driver and to fasten the casing are very similar to those disclosed in copending patent application Ser. No. 541,225, filed on Apr. 8, 1966, by Paul G. K. Schroeder.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various casing fastening machines have been placed on the market in recent years. Practically all of them employ an upper and lower die for crimping the fastener onto the casing. The upper die usually consists of the lower shaped end of the driving rod which drives the fastener (usually a staple) from its feed area to first straddle the upper portion of the gathered casing. Thereafter, the prongs of the staple are impacted by the driver against a stationary formed lower die which folds the prongs in order to enable circumsribing and sealing of the casing end by the staple.

In prior art machines, this die combination has been satisfactory for certain size ranges of casings. However, if, for example, a casing size beyond a specified range were used, the amount of casing volume becomes excessive with respect to the space available in the fastening area, and there would occur some cutting through of the casing by the fastener prongs. And conversely, if the casing was of size smaller than the range of the aforesaid two dies, there would be some space lift upon crimping, resulting in danger of leakage of contents out of the casing.

For this reason, the industry has employed spacer bloc-ks which are generally inserted beneath the lower die to enlarge or diminish the fastener area. Unfortunately, the removal and replacement of these spacers incurs loss of time for the operator and reduces the output efficiency of the machine. Also, such spacers have been known to inadvertently fall into the product being fastened.

Furthermore, in the present fastening machines, the cut-off knife (for cutting off the excess casing end) is fixedly mounted by screws and bolts within the machine, so that if, for some reason, the knife must be removed, a

major disassembly operation is required to effect such removal. Also, present machines employ stationary or otherwise inefiicient casing gatherers, wherein the casing is inserted in a narrow throat, and the main gathering of the casing is effected by the staple as it is driven by the driver over the narrowed casing end. With such a system, an occasional casing is pierced by one or more stample prongs, and a leaky fastening results. This is due to the fact that lateral spreading of the gathered casing still takes place in the prong area of the fastener.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, a casing fastening machine is provided wherein a series of lower dies of difierent heights is mounted on a rotatable shaft, so that the lower die maybe readily changed, when desired, by a mere short rotation of the shaft. Another feature of the present invention consists of a knife-mounting means which makes the cut-off knife, as well as its motor, readily removable from and assembled into the machine.

A still further feature involves a swiveled casing gatherer which compresses the casing laterally after it has been inserted in the throat of the machine, thus minimizing damage to the casing end by the sharp prongs of the fasteners.

BRIEF DECRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 depicts a perspective side view of a preferred machine of the present invention, with side cover removed, and with a portion of the runway closure and gatherer cutaway, and with air lines schematically shown;

FIGURE 2 illustrates a fragmentary perspective side view of the lower portion of the machine showing the lower die and locking means therefor;

FIGURE 3 presents the reverse side of that shown in FIGURE 2, disclosing the indicia for the lower dies;

FIGURE 4 depicts a fragmentary perspective side view of the lower portion of the machine, with parts of the side cover and gatherer cut away to show details of the knife assembly and gatherer-moving links, as well as the driver end in staple-crimping position;

FIGURE 5 shows a similar view as FIGURE 4, with the knife advanced to cutting position;

FIGURE 6 presents a perspective side view of the lower portion of the machine when the casing is inserted into the throat by the operator;

FIGURE 7 illustrates the same portion of the machine, with parts in position as the gatherer bundles the casing into position *beneath the driver; while FIGURE 8 shows the same portion of the machine after the casing has been gathered, and while in position for crimping thereon of a fastener.

The same numerals refer to similar parts in the various figures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring again to the drawings, numeral 10 represents a fiat base on which is mounted a fiat vertical support 11 carrying the principal elements of the machine of the present invention. The center portion of support 11 is desirably partially milled out at 12 to contain most of the moving parts of the machine, leaving a thin side wall 13 which serves as an enclosure for one side thereof. Support 11 also may be cast, if preferred.

A conventional hydraulic or pneumatic motor 14 is mounted on the upper portion 15 of support 11. Connected to the bottom of the ram 16 of motor 14, is driver 17, which is provided with a shaped upper die 18, and which serves to drive the innermost staple fastener 19 through channel 20 of runway enclosure 21. The means used to operate the driver and to fasten the casing are very similar to the means disclosed in copending application Ser. No. 541,225, filed on Apr. 8, 1966 by Paul G. K. Schroeder.

Throat 22 is cut out of the side portion and side cover of support 11 to allow entry therein of the casing to be fastened. Lever arm 23 is slidably attached at 24 at its one end of driver 17, and pivotally attached at its other end, at 25, to support 11. Another arm 26 is swivally attached at one end to arm 23 near its midpoint at 27, and swivally at its other end to the top of runway enclosure 21 at 28. Runway enclosure 21 rides vertically in slide grooves 29 and 30 cut either in upright 11 or in the sides of enclosure 21. The fastener runway 20 begins at 31 and terminates at 32. Driver 17 rides through upper portion 31, engages staple 19, and pushes it down through end 32 to contact lower die 33.

Lower crimping die 33 is rotatably mounted on shaft 34 which rides in bearing hole 35 in side wall 13 and on slot 42. The legs of fastener 19 fall on this lower die (which is disposed slightly below throat 22), to circumscribe the gathered and pressed casing end prior to crimping of the fastener thereon. Die surface 37 is positioned so that it is in line with die end 18 of driver 17.

Swivally connected at one end, at 38, to the lower end of runway enclosure 27, is an inwardly-bent arm 39, the other end of which is swivally attached, at 40, to laterally-reciprocating arm 41. This latter arm slides on shoulder 76 on support 11 and has a slot 42 through which projects shaft 34 of die 33, so that arm 41 is able to reciprocate while straddling the normally-stationary shaft 34.

Arm 41 is pivotally attached, at slot 43 and pivot 44, to gatherer 45. The latter is mounted, at pivot 46, to support 11. Spring 47, having its one end connected at 48 to the lower part of gatherer 45, and the other end at 49 to support 11, serves to help bring gatherer back to its outermost position when slide 41 is on its outer stroke. A push plate 50 is provided in jaw 80 between wall 51 and 52 of the gatherer, to push the gathered casing end 81 of casing 82 over die face 37, just prior to the fastening operation.

Disposed below slide arm 41, and pivoted near its midpoint, at 53, onto support 11, is locking lever 54. Its inner end terminates with an upwardly-directed projection 55, the end of which is shaped to fit into the die faces of die 33. The outer free end of lever 54, is connected, at 56, to one end of spring 57, while the other end 58 of the spring is connected to support 11. Thus, it will be noted that when the free end of lever 54 is raised against the force of spring 57, the locking end 55 of the lever is free of die 33, and it is then possible to turn shaft 34, by placing a coin in shaft slot 59 (figures), and thus position the die face 37, 37, etc., which has the proper height for the casing being fastened. The multipleface die 33 may be provided with die faces measuring, consecutively, each several thousandths of an inch higher than the previous die face, and gatherer plate 52 may be provided with a hole 35 through which may be seen a position marker (such as slotted arrow 59) on the lower die. The specific position markings 60 for each die may be marked on plate 52, so that one may insert a coin in slot 59 (through hole 35) and turn shaft 34 to align properly the desired lower die 37 to be used.

Attached to the back of support 11 is a bent mounting 61 for motor 64. It terminates with upright arm 62 which slides into groove 63 cut into knife motor 64. The latter is a conventional hydraulic or pneumatic motor having a ram 65 to which is attached reciprocating knife 66. The latter rides in groove 67 cut into mounting 61. When motor 64 is to be removed, one need only to lift it out of mounting 61 so that locking arm 62 slides out of groove 63. When this takes place, pin 68 in ram 65 slips out of upwardly-directed groove 69 of the knife, so that the motor is also free of the knife. The latter is then removed by sliding it out along groove 67.

A conventional fastener chute 70 is provided to contain and feed staple fasteners 19 through wall 13 and into runway enclosure 21. Valve 71 is mounted on base 10 for actuating motors 14 and 64, and the necessary connections are provided to feed motor fluid through lines 73, 74, 75, etc., as necessary, for actuation of the machine. A pressure control 72 is provided for enabling pressure of the hand to manipulate valve 71.

A cover plate 36 is attached by screws in holes 77 in the unmilled edge of support 11 to cover the working parts which otherwise would be exposed.

The operation of the machine is as follows:

In idle position, driver 17 is raised, knife 66 is withdrawn, and gatherer 45 is in its outermost position, as in FIG. 1. When a casing is inserted in throat 22 (as in FIG. 6) and valve actuator 72 is depressed, ram 16 pushes driver 17 downwardly through runway enclosure 21, while, at the same time, arm 26 is moving runway enclosure 21 downwardly. Also, enclosure 21 moves arm 39 outwardly, which, in turn, causes slide 41 to move rearwardly. The latter pulls gatherer 45, so that pusher plate 50 begins to gather the folded casing end in throat 22, as in FIG. 7. It is assumed that shaft 34 has been turned to the proper indicia 60 for using the correct die face 37 for the casing size employed.

As driver 17 moves downwardly, its die end 18 engages a fastener 19 protruding into runway 20 of runway enclosure 21, and continues to push the fastener until the prongs of the latter reach lower die face 37, at which time the fastener straddles the casing which has already been completely gathered by gatherer 45. The machine parts then are in a position as depicted in FIG. 4. Thereafter, the driver continues further, and the fastener legs are folded over die face 37, so that the casing end is completely crimped and sealed, as in FIG. 8.

At this point, a timing switch in valve 71 actuates motor 64 which causes sharp edge 78 of knife blade 66 to cut off the protruding end of the casing, as in FIG. 5.

Thereafter, knife blade 66 is withdrawn and the other parts of the machine return to idle position, whereupon the crimped casing is removed, and another one is inserted for sealing. If a casing of a different size is to be used, lever 11 is raised, as shown in FIG. 3, and this disengages end 55 from the lower die face, thus freeing the die. Screw notch 35 in shaft 34 then is turned to align the required die face, and lever 54 is released to lock lower die 33, so as to make it available for the next run.

I claim:

1. A machine, of the type described, for fastening the end of a casing by crimping a fastener therearound, comprising, in combination,

a base,

a vertical plate support attachable to said base, said support being provided with a throat into which a casing may be fed,

a driver mounted in sliding relation on said support and having a die end designed to drive fasteners onto a lower die for crimping,

a lower crimping die assembly disposed on said support in line with said driver, and comprising a rotatable shaft mountable on said support at right angles to the axis of said driver and adjacent said throat, and

a series of crimping dies of different heights disposed therearound locking means mounted on said support and designed to lock said assembly in place when one lower die is used for crimping, and

a driver motor attachable to said plate and having a ram attachable to said driver and designed to move said driver.

2. A machine, according to claim 1, and having a mounting arm projecting from said support on the end opposite to that on which said die assembly is disposed, said arm having an upwardly-directed member and a slide groove,

a knife driving motor for driving a knife blade toward said die assembly and having an engaging means for engaging said upwardly-directed member into a holding position for said motor, said motor also having a ram,

a knife blade disposed over said slide groove on said arm and designed to slide in said groove and having engaging means on its non-cutting end for engagement with said ram, and

engagement means on said ram designed to engage said co-acting engaging means on said blade when said knife motor is engaged onto its mounting arm.

3. A machine, according to claim 1, and having a runway enclosure mounted in vertically-sliding relation on said support and having a vertical fastener runway therein into which fasteners are fed and into which said driver enters and drives said fasteners through said runway for crimping,

a laterally-directed arm pivotally attached to said support on one end, and slidably connected to said driver on the other end,

a connecting arm swivally attached to said lateral arm between the end attachments thereof at one end and swivally attached to the upper portion of said enclosure on its other end,

a slide shoulder disposed near the bottom of said support on which a slide may be reciprocated,

a laterally-reciprocable slide disposed over said shoulder and desitgned to slide thereon, said slide having a slot in which one end of said die assembly shaft is designed to ride,

a second laterally-directed arm swivally-connected at one end to the bottom of said enclosure and swivally-connected at its other end to the end of said slide, and

a casing gatherer designed to gather casing at the throat from the outer end thereof, said gatherer being pivotally-mounted at its bottom on said support below said slide and being connected to the other end of said slide, in a manner such that when said enclosure is moved by said connecting arm, as said driver is moved downwardly, and said second laterally-directed arm pulls said slide and its connected gatherer which then gathers said casing.

4. A machine according to claim 1 in which each of said dies is successively greater in height, and indicia on the outside of the machine designed to indicate the die used for crimping.

5. A machine according to claim 1 in which said slide and said gatherer are connected with an open engagement whereby the gatherer may be removed therefrom by lifting same.

6. A machine according to claim 1 wherein said locking means comprises a spring-loaded lever having an end designed to engage the bottom of said assembly and lock same in place by spring pressure.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,279,033 10/1966 Normand et al. 2933.5

RICHARD H. EANES, JR., Primary Examiner. 

